During thermotherapy or cryotherapy, it is necessary to, monitor temperature distribution in the tissues to ensure safe deposition of heat energy in the surrounding healthy tissue and for efficient destruction of tumor and abnormal cells. To this end, real-time temperature monitoring with spatial resolution (approximately 1 millimeter) and high temperature sensitivity (1 degree Kelvin or better) is needed.
The most accurate temperature monitoring is by directly measuring the temperature with a thermocouple or thermistor. However, directly measuring the temperature is invasive, is generally not preferred, and is simply not feasible.
Several non-invasive temperature monitoring methods have been developed. For example, infrared thermography has been, used to monitor tissue temperature. Although infrared thermography has 0.1 degree Celsius accuracy, it is limited to only superficial temperatures.
Ultrasound has been used to monitor tissue temperature. Although ultrasound has good spatial resolution and high penetration depth, the temperature sensitivity of ultrasound is low.
Magnetic resonance imaging has been used to monitor tissue temperature. Although magnetic resonance imaging has advantages of high resolution and sensitivity, magnetic resonance imaging is expensive, bulky, and slow.
Although techniques for monitoring tissue temperature have been considered, improvements are desired. It is therefore an object at least to provide a novel method and system for monitoring tissue temperature.